Ice can



Patented June 2, 1925.

UNITED STATES APATENT y OFFICE.

JOHN 13. KELLEY, OF TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA.

` y Ien CAN.

Application ala December 27, 1.924. serial No. 758,372.

and useful Improvements in Ice Cans, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in cans such as are commonlyemployed in the manufacture of block ice, my purpose being to provide animproved can construction whereby artificial block ice may be producedwithout the usual soft central core in a minimum amount of time and bythe' expenditure of a minimum amount of energy.

YWith the foregoing and other purposes in view my invention consists inthe novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of partsas will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denotecorresponding parts in the different views Figure 1 is a centrallongitudinal section through a can constructed in accordance with myinvention;

Figure 2, a central transverse section; and

Figure 3, a horizontal section.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be observed that myimproved can is elongated and of rectangular shape in cross section,being composed of two sides 10, 10, two ends 11, 11 and a bottom 12.

The sides 10, 10 are of slightly greater width at their tops than attheir bottoms, so that can flaresoutwardly from its bot tom towards itstop to facilitate removal of a block of ice formed therein. The ends 11,11 on the other hand are in the present instance of the same widththroughout their length, although they may be formed of greater width attheir tops than at their bottoms similarly to the sides 10, 10.Essentially, however7 each end is provided with a central inwardextension 13 running the full length of the can and tapered inwardly toa rounded inner end as clearly shown in Figure 3, said extensions beingof any depth desired and, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, they alsoare tapered in depth as well as width from the bottom of the can towardsits top.

rIhe bottom 12 fits within the sides and ends 10, 10 and 11, 11,respectively, and is cut out at its ends to receive the lowerextremities of the inward extensions 13, 13, aidownturned flange 14 onsaid bottom fitting against the sides and ends of the can as well asagainst the lower extremities of said inward extensions 13, 13 and beingriveted or otherwise secured in place as indicated at 15. The taperedformation of the extensions13, 13 in conjunction with the flaredformation of the sides of the can provides for easy removal of a blockof ice from the can as is manifest.

Around the top of the can is riveted or otherwise secured a band 16which enhances the rigidity of the structure and provides a means oflowering the can into and lifting it from the brine in which it isadapted to be immersed to eii'ect freezing of its contents.

It has been found in practice that a block of ice frozen in a canconstructed as described is free from the soft central core usuallyfound in blocks of manufactured ice and that the freezing operationrequires materially less time and power than h-as been requiredheretofore to freeze a block of ice of the same size, the reason beingthat the extensions 13, 13 admit the brine to the central portion of thecan so that freezing occurs here substantially at the same rate as atthe edges of the can, whereas in prior can constructions freezing occursiirst at the edges of the can and progresses towards the center of thecan with the resultant forma tion of a soft central core asaforementioned.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with theaccompany ing drawings, it is believed that the construction andadvantages of my improved can will be fully understood. It is desired topoint out, however, that various changes and desirable additions maybemade in and to the structure shown within the spirit and scope of myinvention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

In ice manufacturing apparatus, a can adapted to be placed in a freezingmedium, said can having opposite walls thereof pron vided with outwardlyopening hollow ribs running the full length thereof, each of said hollowribs extending into the can a distance appproximately egual toone-fourth of the distance between the walls having said ribs and beingspaced from the adjacent side walls of the can a distance approximatelyequal to the distance that saidribs eXtend into the ean so thatwaterwithin and at the center of the can will be frozen at substantially thesame rate as at the sides of the can, said ribs being tapered-fromtheirlower towards their upper ends and also being taperedinwardly, said can having a bottom provided with recesses through whichthe lower ends of said hollow ribs extend Where- -by saidrbs openthroughthe Vbottom as wellzas the sides of the canto permit Vfree ingand secured to said ribs to stillen the latter land to provide a meansof producing' amwater tight joint between the sides and bottom.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiiX my signature.

JOHN F. KELLEY.

